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Corona Devo 3187

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Since we are gathered here: you and me , I wanted to give you a 'Pop It.'  Have you seen these?  They are rubbery things (toys?), and they have bubbles on them that can be pushed in...and pushed out.  Go ahead, push all of the bubbles in one row in. And then you can push the same bubbles from the opposite side, and they pop back out.   Try it--'Pop Its' are fun to pop.  Relaxing even.   Some people have found that 'Pop Its' are useful when we are worried, anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed, but I like to press on them any old time, and not just when I'm stressed.   How about you?... Here: I am giving you one.  Push a rubber bubble or two.   See?   It is (somehow) satisfying, isn't it? Now--w hat are some of our worries? Come on...don't be shy.   Go ahead...let's share.  You shout out some "worries" and I will jot them down for us.  Who wants to start?   Ahhh, there we go: You in the b...

Corona Devo 3186

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Do we feel unsatisfied today?  Unfulfilled?   Perhaps we are not fully focusing on the Lord and His agenda, and we have gotten off-(His)-course, and we've been too much on ours.   Except--there's no full -fillment in our efforts-for-self, just full-attempts without full-fruition.   Perhaps the Lord is telling (disciplining) us through his Word today to    " switch the field ". In soccer, when a player "switches the field", it means that they make a long pass or place a big-kicked-ball across the field and thus, they move the action/play/center/pressure from one place (side) of the field into an entirely (and opposite) new one, often where far fewer players are.  They "switch the field", and hopefully find the feet of one of their teammates for a breakaway to the goal! The Lord speaks to the prophet Haggai, and God basically tells Haggai to tell the people of Israel ( God's  people), and their leaders that they have gotten off track ...

Corona Devo 3185

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“There are those who curse their fathers  and do not bless their mothers;  (12)  those who are pure in their own eyes  and yet are not cleansed of their filth;  (13)  those whose eyes are ever so haughty,  whose glances are so disdainful;  (14)  those whose teeth are swords  and whose jaws are set with knives t o devour the poor from the earth  and the needy from among mankind.   ~Proverbs 30:11-14 ~~ There are those ... Lord, I thought of many people when I read these verses.   "Those."   There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers... (Proverbs 30:11). Some people curse their dads, and do not thank or bless their moms.  They are ungrateful.  Entitled.  Expectant.  Lazy and spoiled.  Some young, and some old enough to know much better...we can think of some of those. ~~~ (12) those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed ...

Corona Devo 3184

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138 . A poem ( Psalm ) of gratitude to God.   Can we read it?   Can we feel this Psalm 138- way today?   Can we live  this  Psalm 138- tone today?  Can we praise our Lord today in the authentic way that David does? We can try . I give you thanks, O Lord , with all my heart;  I will sing your praises before the gods. ( 2)  I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.   I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;  for your promises are backed  by all the honor of your name.  ( 3)  As soon as I pray, you answer me;  you encourage me by giving me strength. ( 4)  Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord ,  for all of them will hear your words. ( 5)  Yes, they will sing about the Lord ’s ways, f or the glory of the Lord is very great.  ( 6) T hough the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,  but he keeps his distance from the proud. ( 7)  Though I...

Corona Devo 3183

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But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is , and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  ~Hebrews 11:6   ~~~ Out of town for a weekend of soccer, we went to church on Sunday morning in a new city and state.  I could tell you about the worship, which was so filled with human un decoration and lack-of-pride...and so filled/full/ bursting  with giving-God-glory (on the stage and in the hearts of those in the pews), that I am sure that we had a foretaste of Heaven as everyone  praised and honored the Lord through song and in authenticity.  We experienced the Holy Spirit filling that house of God! I could tell you about the preacher, who taught such a relatable and engaging sermon, filled with Scripture and relevant applications, that I felt like the Lord was speaking directly to me  through the message, and a friend of mine visiting the church with us said the same thing.  We e...